Newly appointed Information, Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim recently emphasised that his ministry played an important role in establishing that only the “right kind of information” reached the masses.

This is the context in which he reminded bloggers and Internet users “to adhere to the guidelines and laws and to ensure the Internet, which acts as an alternative media, is not misused or exploited”.

Sounds familiar, ain’t it? The thing is, one is compelled or inclined to suspect what the “right kind of information” really means in the larger social context where freedom of information is often frowned upon by the powers-that-be.

See here for an example of ideological preference for “the right kind of information” to be broadcast to the ordinary Malaysians. Here, in defending RTM’s ‘silence’ on the recent Terengganu political issue, the minister was reported to have said that “… the government has the right to publish any news they wish to highlight.”